I have one but haven't used it yet. My friend and her daughter each have one and love it for regular pressure cooker recipes. They say you can't beat it. I am a little hesitant to use it for canning because I've read so many old opinions on that, including on Gardenweb. Don't know if it's been updated or not. I only feel comfortable using approved methods. I have the Power XL.

Madonna

I remember reading a lot of old opinions too, but my understanding is that these newer machines are designed for canning, not being improvised by users without testing. It looks like Ball has put their brand on a 3 quart model. If we can't trust Ball, we have real problems.

Agree that they can be good for pressure cooking but then so can any pressure cooker and fo less money. But no, with the exception of the Ball model they still aren't USDA approved for canning. Too many unknowns and variables that either haven't been or don't hold up to testing. So using them remains your choice, your risk to take.

Plus many, myself included, are put off by some of the advertising claims they make that simply aren't true. For example, some of the brands claim they have USDA approval for canning while the USDA makes it very clear that they do not have such approval. Misleading marketing always makes me suspicious of the product.

Small batches of 4 quarts are just as easily done in an approved canner so that is no advantage.

Lastly, the price. Simply not justified IMO since approved pressure canners are readily available for much less money.

Bottom line - costly gimmicks.

Dave

USDA Alert - No Pressure Canning in Electric Canners

I read the NCHFP warning, the one I'm talking about is not on the list. It's interesting that the Ball has been "approved," whatever that means. My understanding of the Chard model (Madonna, correct me if I'm wrong) is that it is designed as competitor to the Ball model. It's advertised as a canner, intended for that use (unlike the cooker-not-canners the NCHFP wrote that completely understandable warning about) and uses a weighted pressure gauge. It'd be hard to screw that up. Maybe I'll email the company and ask if they intend to get it approved. I wonder what that costs them.

As for cost, I agree it's a big ticket item and I think it would really depend on how it gets used in the rhythm of one's life. If I had a pantry where I could leave it set up, push a button and walk away, that would be worth some money to me. Dragging out the supplies out of the garage, putting them away, is enough of an overhead for me that I only want to do it when I have a big load. Example, I keep chicken carcasses in the freezer until I have a big enough batch to get 7 quarts. But with a smaller pressure canner, I could cook a small batch of stock while I am cooking dinner, put it in the canner before I sit down and eat my meal in peace. I just had my fridge and freezer full to the brim with tomatoes in various stages of sauce-making for the same reason. But I get that it is not for everyone.

So I asked Chard, I'll report back what they say.

The description you linked to above says "Separate water bath/steam functions for canning." but says nothing about pressure canning. That would make it an expensive BWB and steam canner.

Also says "

• "Pressure cook, slow cook, bake, brown meat, steam and cook rice or risotto." But again nothing about pressure canning.

digdirt, we must be seeing different things, because the first line is "Cans up to four quart jars. This is what I'm talking about:

Carey – Smart Canner & Cooker – DPC-9SS

by Chard

4.3 out of 5 stars 21 customer reviews

| 17 answered questions

Price:$245.00 Free Shipping for Prime Members

Only 1 left in stock.

Sold by Peak Pointe Co and Fulfilled by Amazon.

• Cans up to four quart jars, six pint jars, eight jelly jars or ten half-pint jars in one batch

Is there a gauge or weight on that canner that verify at which pressure you are actually canning?

I looked at the online recipe book for the Ball FreshTech Electric Canner mentioned above and I don't see anything there that couldn't be waterbathed. No meats, soups, green beans, things that require actual pressure canning.

http://www.freshpreserving.com/recipes/?prefn1=freshTechAppliances&prefv1=Automatic-Home-Canning-System

I have a Fagor electric pressure cooker (high temp and low temp) that I love and use a lot, but I'd never pressure can in it. No dial, no gauge. It comes to pressure in a few brief minutes and cools down just as quickly. That's got to void the canning recipe times when the heat up and cool down times are included in the testing for the processing lengths.

My Fagor was worth the price to me (about $100). When I bought it, I had a tiny little kitchen and it serves as pressure cooker (not canner even though the manual says I may), browning unit, slow cooker, rice cooker. I no longer have the little kitchen, but still love and use the cooker. For loose foods, nothing in jars.

Strayarrow, in browsing through their recipes more leisurely tonight, I also find this disclaimer on Ball's website:

"Note: The Ball® freshTECH Automatic Home Canning System is not a pressure canner and cannot be used for foods that typically require pressure canning (i.e. low-acid foods like green beans and meats). "

Which explains why I didn't find those types recipes and instructions ;0) I don't have experience with the exact electric cooker the OP mentions, but the Ball unit at least is a very expensive electric product to replace a boiling water bath. You could feel confident using it as such.

"Cans up to four quart jars. This is what I'm talking about:"

Sure but it BWB or steam cans them. It doesn't pressure can them. BWB and steam are canning methods too. So you could do four quart jars of peaches or pickles for example but you cannot do vegetables or meats.

Like morz said it means you can only use it to can high acid foods like jellies, some fruits, and pickles. Things that would be normally canned in a boiling water bath. So it is a pressure COOKER that can also boiling water bath can but cannot pressure can.

Dave

I absolutely love my Carey canner. IT IS TRULY A PRESSURE CANNER . I live above 1000 feet elevation so I do my low acid canning using the 15 lb pressure valve. I do allow it to vent the steam for 10 minutes (the canner will start to steam, the E10 appears on the front panel, and that is when I start timing for the 10 minute venting time- E10 counts down E9, E8... THE E10 COUNTDOWN IS NOT AN ERROR MESSAGE!!) It seems that the E countdown might be the venting for 10 minutes. After the countdown it Flashes E0 and beeps and that is when I shift the valve from "Exhaust" to "Air Tight. The canner will continue to build up pressure for a few more minutes, and when the pressure is correct, the timer will begin and count down the minutes and turn off automatically when the processing is complete. I have only had it a couple of weeks and so far have canned chicken soup base, split pea soup, chili, pork chili verde, pulled pork in picante sauce for tacos, chicken curry, a burger and vegetable dinner, beef stroganoff (I will add the sour cream later) and beef pot roast in jar, and ham and beans, for a total of 25 quart jars, 25 suppers that are good to go with a 15 minute simmer on the stove *HAPPY DANCE*. I did the meals in a jar from the recipes in the new Ball canning book. The instruction manual is a not very helpful, but be sure and read it anyhow. I have noticed the quite a few of the jars have some of the liquid blow out during the canning process, but this should not hurt the food, although the food above the liquid may darken, but that should not effect the safety as long as the jar is securely sealed. I have not used the Carey as a pressure cooker, water bath canner, or low pressure canner for acid foods, rice steamer or anything but high pressure canning yet. If you need more instruction on using this canner, respond to this post and I will attempt to answer you. Also, there are some videos on Youtube that show the Carey in use. And, so you know, THE BALL ELECTRIC CANNER IS NOT A HIGH PRESSURE CANNER FOR MEAT OR VEGETABLES. It is a low pressure canner for high acid foods only.

Your choice of course Pauline as long as you understand that it is not approved for use by the USDA canning guidelines. The primary reason, as explained above and in the USDA video linked above, is because canner like yours heat up and cool down too quickly thereby voiding the listed processing times in the canning recipes. Those processing times are determined based on the approved pressure canners and the calculations depend on the heat up and cool down times needed for those approved models.

For example, if a Ball recipe calls for 25 minutes of actual processing that processing time is based on the 10-12 min needed to come up to pressure and the approx. 20 min it takes to come back to zero as the food is still processing during that time. So the actual overall processing time is more like 40-50 min.

But if you set your canner for 25 min. then your food is UNDER- processed by several minutes. The canner would actually have to be lab tested with internal probes to determine the actual processing time you'd need to set your canner for.

All the manufacturer would have to do is submit it for testing to get USDA approval or to be told how the processing times would need to be adjusted.

But using it remains your choice of course.

Dave

Dave, it's interesting that NCHFP has updated their factsheet (http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html) to specifically mention the Ball brand electric canner for acid foods. I did email the Chard folks way back when I started this thread, but haven't heard back. It will be interesting to see if the Consumer Protection folks take a stance on this. Or if Chard/Carey (same company, two brands) ever springs for the testing.

Dave, having read the updated fact sheet referenced above and feel pretty confident that the Carey meets the specs for safe canning. It cans 4 quarts standing upright, with space for steam to circulate around the jars, allows time for the proper venting of steam to force the air from the canner and from the jars, then does not begin the timer countdown until after the proper canning temperature and pressure have been reached inside the canner. (The manual states that it can take upwards of 30 minutes to reach the proper temperature before the actual canning countdown begins.) It takes as long to cool down to zero pressure as my Presto stove top pressure canner. It has two weighted gauges, a 10 pound for low altitudes and a 15 pound for altitudes over 1000 feet. The weight jiggles and continues to release some steam during the entire process and I am hoping that this indicates that the temperature is remaining high enough to properly heat the food. I do not have any way to know this for sure, therefore, I would feel better if Carey/Chard would the canner tested.

But that said, just in case, I only can food that I will be able to bring to a boil and simmer for at least 10 minutes before I eat it. If there are botulism toxins that boil will destroy them. And, also, just in case, I told my family that if I die from botulism - I want them to "SUE THE B*STARDS." (I hope I was joking with that one, would hate to see it actually happen.) I feel safe canning with the Carey because when I got it home, I canned some jars of water as a test and as far as I could determine by testing and timing the process, it meets the standards as the USDA states in their fact sheet, but I would never can with any of the electric pressure cookers that are on the market today.

Anyhow, Dave, thanks for the input. I do appreciate the comments and wish Carey would test that canner to make sure it meets USDA specs. If you come across any new info on the Carey, please respond to this post. Best wishes, and have a great Thanksgiving day.

There are other posts on this particular forum from time to time, from people who justify practices or equipment not approved by the NCHFP. I sometimes wonder at the justifications, after all, they don't need anyone's permission to take those safety risks.

Hi Pauline, I appreciate your comments about the Chard/Carey canner. I just bought one. I'm a seasoned canner and was excited to find this model. I researched the canner and watched several videos by those who've been using it since it came on the market. However no one revealed how to switch out the "pressure limiting valve"? I'm at 2400 feet elevation and need the 15 PSI weight. For the life of me though, I can't figure out how to remove the weight that's on the canner lid. Any input will be much appreciated.

You grab hold of that black valve and pull straight up. It is on tight, but it will pull right off, then push the green valve on. Do make sure your valve is okay, my first green valve was faulty but the company replaced it promptly with just a phone call. If you look at the valve you see "exhaust" and "airtight" written on the top. Turn the valve and you can feel it drop into place when it goes to "airtight" and feel it lift up when it you turn it back to "exhaust." When I can with mine these are the steps I follow to use the canner - after the jars and water are in (I use about 41/2 to 5 cups, even though the book says 4 cups water as I had it go dry once,) I close and lock the lid then:

1) Position green valve to "exhaust" (make sure you feel that it is in the up position

2) Press "High" or "Low" (High is for low acid foods, Low is for jams, fruit, etc that would not require the high pressure canning. I have only canned meats, meals, veggies and such so I have only used the "High") DO NOT PRESS "PRESSURE COOK"

3) Press "Time" and use the + and - to set the processing time. (I have only canned quarts, and add a couple of three minutes to the Ball book times. So, most things I have canned require 90 minutes so I have set it to 92 or 93. - Better safe than sorry.)

4.) Double check to make sure the valve is still in "Exhaust" position.

5) Press "Start" (YOU WILL NOT PRESS START AGAIN at any time throughout the entire canning process, as this will turn off the canner.)

6) You will see a rotating light symbol thingy appear which will remain as the canner heats up. (I grab a cup of coffee and just check the dial every few minutes.)

7) When steam starts to escape E10 will appear and the canner will countdown to E0 - I have timed this and it seems that this is the 10 minutes that required to properly vent air from the canner. THIS IS WHERE I DO NOT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS IN THE BOOK. (The booklet says to turn the valve to "airtight'" when the E10 count down begins, and I have canned enough to know that would not properly vent the canner. I think it is an error in the manual. And, I would rather be safe than sorry.) I watch the canner during the countdown so I won't miss turning the valve at the proper time. During the countdown the canner will be expelling a lot of steam.

8) AFTER the countdown, turn the valve until it drops into "Airtight" position. The canner will continue to build pressure for a few minutes and when proper pressure and temperature is reached the time will begin to countdown. You will notice that the valve appears loose and is still releasing steam, but this is normal, so just let it do it's thing. At this point your job is done and the canner will shut off when it has finished processing. I just leave the jars in until the canner has cooled on its own.

Happy canning.

And please understand that this is not an approved canner, I am just telling you why I feel safe with it and how I use it for myself.

Thank you for the detailed information Pauline. It helps! I will print out your instructions to keep on hand, till I become confident in the use of my Carey.
On several sites, I read many comments of those who were appealing for caution in using this canner. Some pleaded that it be destroyed and tossed in the garbage. Yet, after much research I felt it was safe and decided to give it a try. My maiden run was a complete success. I understand how the canner works and look forward to canning throughout the winter.

Just curious as to why anyone would pay the $120 + price for this unapproved canner when tested and approved canners are readily available for slightly more than 1/2 that price?

Dave

Because they are so very very handy for canning and will also slow cook, brown, steam and pressure cook. So far, so far I have only canned in mine. I like it because I do not have to watch it, just let it do its thing, I can load it up and go to bed.

One of the primary reasons I first got mine was my new glass top stove manual says not to use it for canning. That left me with no way to can except outside on a camping stove, which did not work well. I love my new Carey and consider it money well spent. It is rather good looking and since I have adequate counter space, it remains out at all times. Very handy.

I can understand the glass top stove issue Pauline although Presto canners are approved for use on them. And truth be told one can easily also slow cook, brown and pressure cook in any of the approved cookers or pressure canners.

However "can load it up and go to bed." raises a red flag as leaving processed jars sitting in a pressure canner once the cycle has completed, much less overnight, is strongly warned against by USDA/NCHFP. The seals are prone to release and reset and release again as the contents in the canner cool and the pressure falls. This allows air to return back into the jars of food. So while your lids may be sealed when you open the canner in the AM the contents are no longer under a full vacuum. You'll find several discussions here about this.

Dave

If I could get one that did 4 quarts, and was USDA approved for my altitude, and worked like my Instant Pot for slow cooking, yogurt, and regular pressure cooking, it would be worth it to me. Where to throw household funds is personal, but the convenience of having my stovetop free to do other things, and not have to heave around the big canner would be worth some cash. It's kind of like having a sewing machine or table saw set up all the time-I'd use it more frequently for smaller projects. Also the quiet factor - the Instant Pot is nearly silent. My living/kitchen open plan is compact and the noise of the canner is something I have to plan around (no tv or conversation possible with hearing-impaired DH while the weight is rocking). That's why I never use it for regular cooking (and I have batch cooking I could do at that scale if I wanted.) And the IP doesn't heat up the house nearly as much as the big canner. In the summertime, being able to do a few quarts of peaches each day as they ripen without heating up the house would be lovely. I could use the IP to prep tomato sauce or make stock, then process in the small canner! But despite my rich fantasies about how this would improve my life, I will sit out on this appliance until Carey/Chard springs for the testing. I hope they are reading this, I'm sure I'm not the only one waiting for them or a competitor to do the right thing.

Dave,

Thanks for the info on leaving the jars in overnight - I won't be doing that again!

In an earlier post I stated " When steam starts to escape E10 will appear and the canner will countdown to E0 - I have timed this and it seems that this is the 10 minutes that required to properly vent air from the canner. THIS IS WHERE I DO NOT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS IN THE BOOK. (The booklet says to turn the valve to "airtight'" when the E10 count down begins, and I have canned enough to know that would not properly vent the canner. I think it is an error in the manual. And, I would rather be safe than sorry.) I "

A phone consultation with Carey/Chard assured me that the canner will not show E10 or beep until the canner has properly vented the steam. I watched my canner and timed when steam began to blow hard and the Carey manual is correct - the steam vented for a full 10 minutes before the E10 appears. I now follow the manual as for when to turn the valve to "Airtight"

I have been using the "Low" pressure canning for high acid foods (jams) and set the time for waterbath time adjusted for my altitude. Works great. And, for those who water bath can - Steam canners have finally been tested and approved as safe. The USDA had been telling us not to use a steam canner for the last 50? years. But now they have actually been tested and found to be safe for foods that are okay for waterbath canning. The are fairly inexpensive and handier than waterbath canning.

Now there's a recommendation....I've seen it on YT so it must be true and credible ;0)

I've had a Fagor electric multi function for years and love it. It's probably my favorite kitchen small appliance and I'd hate to be without it.

I'd never can in it and serve that food to my family. What are you using for a gauge or weight so you know with accuracy that your appliance is doing what the manual says it will? You have no way of checking how many pounds of pressure you are using - have you never had a $100 electronic malfunction? I have.

Do you have some way to address the differences in timing of the approved canning recipes? The amount of time to come to pressure, vent the canner, cool down to being able to remove the jars once pressure has dropped is built into those recipes and considered right along with the actual processing times. My Fagor comes to pressure in just a handful of minutes when cooking not canning in it, and drops pressure just as quickly. Quickly enough it would void standard canning times unless there are recipes approved for only these appliances and are not standard tested canning recipes.

Dave won't see this. I wish he would, he's missed.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation has come out explicitly against these electric pressure canners, such as the ones discussed above. None of the USDA"s canning times / processing times for proper pressure canners can be assumed to be valid for electric ones purporting to be pressure canners. If you choose to ignore their professional advice, you're on your own, though I have no idea why anyone would. I've heard through back channels of jars on shelves exploding as the food in them went bad -- turns out the electric pressure canners weren't up to the job, after all, whatever the manufacturers claimed to try to make the sale. https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html

What happened to Dave, he was a voice of reason who helped to keep things on an even, safe keel here....

I'm curious about anyone's thoughts on this new presto Electric pressure canner. They say it is USDA approved but I have no idea how to verify that claim. I know the smart cooking devices are getting better and better so it's seems like sooner or later someone could create a safe electric pressure canner. Just not sure how to tell if this is it or if one should keep waiting.

https://www.gopresto.com/product/presto-precise-digital-pressure-canner-02144

The NCHFP has come out explicitly against the electric multi-cookers, like the Instant Pot and Power XL, that were advertised as being safe for canning. They are not safe. They do not ever approve any brand of pressure cooker. They just set a standard for safe canning.

The Chard/Carey/Nesco meets the design standards of the NCHFP for a pressure canner, as it uses a weight to ensure proper pressure, and therefore temperature, is maintained. The multi-cookers do not. It operates exactly the way a stovetop canner operates. In fact, it removes the human error of temperature fluctuation caused by adjusting the setting on the stove. It counts down the 10 minutes of exhausting for you, and times the processing for you.

The instructions in the manual have been changed. It now says to use 8 cups of water, due to the boiling dry issue. It also now says to move the valve to airtight at E0, not E10, as Pauline correctly deduced.

I have a family of 2 people, and the small batch canning is perfect. I have done meats, soups, and vegetables. I have done waterbath canning in it (Blueberry and cranberry-orange jam using the WB button) and I have done ordinary pressure cooking in it. It has earned a permanent spot on my kitchen island, next to my Instant Pot.

I just read the manual for the Presto. Note that it does not say USDA approved, but that it meets USDA standards. I see it seems to use a weight, but what weight? 10 pounds, making it unsafe at over 1000 feet? 15 pounds, making it overprocess food at under 1000 feet?

The instructions on how to use it are overly-complicated. Way, way overly complicated. Read them. I’ll stick with my Nesco/Carey/Chard.

I have just purchased the Presto Digital Canner. I am at sea level, so I am very happy with it. I would not use it if I were above sea level, though. I didn't find the instructions complicated at all. I just followed them and I everything worked out fine.

I got the Presto Digital Canner a couple months ago for what I hoped would be a bumper tomato crop. We've had the coolest summer in years. But I got enough tomatoes to try the canner. Seems to work fine. Instructions easy to follow. I've only tried stovetop canning once, and this was easier and faster.

I bought the Presto Digital Pressure canner two years ago, as I could not use my traditional pressure canners on my glass-top stove. I have canned all kinds of meats, veggies, and sauces without any problem. I have seen where some have done their own testing using a temperature probe that sends data to their computer throughout the process and it has passed. I have used Presto canners for years and trust their products. Make sure to follow the instructions and times that come with the canner, as there are some differences with some other canners. I love how easy this canner is. I tend to have OCD and was always running out to the kitchen before to check on my traditional canners. This canner beeps when you need to do something, otherwise, leave it alone and it does the rest. You can use this canner for both pressure and water bath canning; however, you should not use it for pressure cooking.

I have used both the Presto and Nesco/Carey/Chard electric pressure canners. Both work just fine. I prefer the Nesco overall, as I do a lot of cold pack pressure canning, which you really can’t do with the Presto. I’d say the Presto is a bit more oriented toward those new to pressure canning - idiot proof, if you will.

, have both the nesco smart canner and the carey. . Only downside is the amount you can can at 1 time. Love .